LEXINGTON, Ky. — As Clinical Trials Day is observed nationwide on May 20, the University of Kentucky College of Medicine is highlighting the extensive behind-the-scenes work that enables clinical research to move forward and bring new treatments to patients.

The 2026 theme, "Research Rising," celebrates not just scientific progress, but also the persistence, coordination, and shared purpose that sustain clinical research, according to the source material. The observance, officially organized and promoted by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals since 2014, arrives each May 20 as an opportunity for reflection and recognition of all that has been accomplished thanks to clinical trials and the people behind them.

At UK's College of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, research administration and operations director Connie Dampier oversees a wide range of studies from early planning through execution. Her work includes reviewing protocols and contracts, developing budgets, supporting regulatory and clinical teams, and managing active trials. She came to research through nursing after working in critical care and the emergency department, describing the shift as an extension of patient care. "I wanted to help bring new treatments to patients faster," she said.

Before a study can enroll its first participant, extensive preparation is required. Budgets and contracts must be developed and, often, negotiated. Regulatory documents must be submitted and reviewed, and staff must be trained on specific protocols. Coordination happens across multiple institutional partners, and each step must meet strict scientific and ethical standards. Even after a study opens, research teams support patient enrollment, maintain data accuracy, respond to protocol changes, and ensure compliance and participant safety throughout the process.

In ophthalmology at UK, teams support studies addressing conditions such as geographic atrophy, diabetic macular edema, thyroid eye disease, neurotrophic keratitis and rare genetic disorders — much of this work aimed at slowing or preventing vision loss. "The most meaningful part is helping patients access something new," Dampier said.

The Center for Clinical and Translational Science provides infrastructure, funding, and research support services to advance discoveries and train the upcoming generation of clinical and translational researchers, fostering team science across multiple campuses and states.

Andrea McCubbin, associate dean for research administration at UK College of Medicine, emphasized the broader impact of clinical trials in the Commonwealth. "Clinical trials are a vital part of the college's Care Across the Commonwealth strategic plan, ensuring that Kentuckians have access to innovative treatments," she said. "In a state where many communities face significant health disparities and limited local access to cutting-edge therapies, our clinical trials reach participants across Kentucky and create a critical bridge between discovery and care."

For Dampier and other research professionals, clinical trial work remains closely tied to patient care, even if it looks different from a traditional clinical role. "These trials are shaping the future of medicine," McCubbin said. "It is our clinical research professionals who partner with clinicians and investigators to power that progress every day."